NEW: MA Officials Say They Too Have Been Target Like RI By Unemployment Claim Scam

NEW: MA Officials Say They Too Have Been Target Like RI By Unemployment Claim Scam

Massachusetts state officials announced Wednesday morning that criminal enterprises are in possession of stolen personal information from earlier national data breaches have been attempting to file large amounts of illegitimate unemployment claims through the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) system. This is part of a national unemployment fraud scheme.

GoLocal reported earlier this month that the U.S. Secret Service is leading a federal probe of the scheme.

The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) in the Commonwealth has begun implementing additional identity verification measures that will temporarily delay the payment timeframe for many unemployment claims in Massachusetts. As a result of these measures, certain unemployment claimants may be asked to provide additional identity information in order to verify the validity of their claim. 

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The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training issued a statement to GoLocal regarding reports of a massive fraud perpetrated against Rhode Island and other states’ unemployment offices.

“The kind of fraud we are seeing is called imposter fraud and it results from a previous identify theft. The Rhode Island Unemployment Insurance System has not been compromised or ‘hacked,'’’ said Angelika Pellegrino, Chief Public Affairs Officer at DLT.

“This is consistent with what other states are experiencing. Because it seems sophisticated, we would not be surprised if this bout of imposter fraud is organized, but DLT has simply has no way to know whether who is doing it or where they are from. We are, however, working with state and federal authorities on this open investigation,” added Pelligrino.

 

Investigation in MA

“Protecting the integrity of the unemployment system and ensuring benefits are going only to valid claimants is a top priority of the Department of Unemployment Assistance,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. “While the program integrity measures we are taking will, unfortunately, mean that some claimants will experience temporary delays in payment, we believe these steps are necessary to respond to this unemployment scam. We are working rapidly to respond to this scheme and urge individuals who may have had a false unemployment claim filed in their name to contact the Department.”

Individuals who believe they may have had a false unemployment claim filed using their identity are urged to utilize the Department of Unemployment Assistance fraud contact form at mass.gov/unemployment-fraud or to call the DUA customer service department at 877-626-6800.

Additional updates related to this criminal activity will be posted at mass.gov/unemployment as soon as they are available.